Posted on 05/03/2023 1:33:25 PM PDT by Jacquerie
One of the biggest perks of electric vehicles (EVs) is that they’re low-maintenance. They never need oil changes, and the electric motors and battery packs are relatively maintenance-free. However, the rubber keeping it on the road is one of the costliest maintenance items for an EV.
EV tires can already be hard to find at an affordable price, but a low rubber supply this year has made that task even more difficult.
Here’s everything you need to know about EV tires.
Why Do EVs Need Special Tires?
Electric vehicles are heavier than their gas-powered counterparts. An extreme example is the mighty GMC Hummer EV Pickup, which tips the scales at 9,063 pounds. That’s about double the weight of a traditional, gas-powered, full-size pickup truck. EVs require special tires that can support the extra weight.
EVs Are Heavier Than Gas Cars
Why are EVs so much heavier than gas cars? Well, an electric powertrain weighs more than a gas powertrain. For example, the Nissan Leaf is about 1,000 pounds heavier than the Nissan Versa, even though they’re about the same size.
Gas engines aren’t exactly light, but they are when compared to heavy electric motors and batteries that power EVs. That weight adds up if an EV has multiple motors and a larger battery pack for extended range and optimal performance.
Tire Size Can Affect Range
If you look at range estimates for EVs like the Tesla Model S, you’ll see that the range and efficiency ratings can vary depending on the wheels. According to the EPA data, the Model S Plaid with 19-inch wheels has a 396-mile range, but the same car with 21-inch wheels only has a 348-mile range.
(Excerpt) Read more at kbb.com ...
One thing no one ever mentions is the effect these heavier electric vehicles will have on our existing infrastructure.
___________________________________________________
I’m glad you brought this up. This needs to be talked about. If a parking structure has any deteriorated part, I fear the heavy EVs will collapse them like what might have happened in New York:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/new-york-city-shuts-down-4-parking-garages-after-deadly-collapse
“The Tesla Plaid comes with tires rated for 186+ MPH. You can expect to pay $500 or more per tire.”
True, and tire shops won’t mount lower-rated tires on the vehicle. But if you carry the rims in you can generally get any reasonable speed category mounted. For example, on my ICE vehicle, down from V to T I think it was.
The replacement batteries for cordless models ain’t cheap, either.
Funny, I was just talking to a manufacturers rep from a well known tire company here in the USA, and he said the Tires are the same as every other tire, it is just a marketing ploy.
If public transportation is mandated to be electric too, then it will also be unavailable and unaffordable.
Which is why the really progressive countries are trying to do away with EVs
And an EV battery has to be changed every three years or sooner, and the cost is $15-20,000. How is that ‘low maintenance’?
“electricity will be scarce and expensive” - and RATIONED! So the days of getting in to your car and taking a little trip are over (when and where you want to go-a thing of the past).
“I just know that at 22K miles I haven’t had to replace the tires yet.”
EV Tires are hard, low rolling resistance and as low profile as the weight and potholes allow. The only counter point is that all EVs can out accelerate all but sports cars so wear in strait line acceleration and breaking can be insane if the driver chooses. The driving experience is nicely tuned low CG skateboard but not really 2020 sports sedan in weight transfer.
22K miles is nothing for a low noise, highway optimized, SUV tire, properly aligned at 700lbs lbs. per wheel everything but a sportscar tire should last 45K miles. Utility Van tires designed for low noise and long life last 60K in just about any environment.
Daily Drive abuse Jeep Wrangler tires at 80MPH highway trips for hours on end and get 55k out of them because I keep them inflated and aligned. They are about 35% larger in diameter, so they wear that much less just by math. They have a tredware rating above 500, a rubbery blend that would be a 300 on sedan diameter tire.
The tires for 2023 Tesla Plaids Long Range are wear rated at 400-640 with rather high per corner rating. They will last 35k-60k depending on driver and how extrema the heat and cold is where they are driven. CA and AZ highways just simply wears tires faster than Iowa and Ohio.
The EV affordable performance are cheaper than the above mention jeep tire by about 30 bucks per tire but EVs tires are more expensive by weight by 50%.
Any plug in deep hybrid with 1L ICE and 10 Gallon Gas/D/JetA/Olive Oil Tank, 400HP at the wheels, seats 4 and 2 dogs with Subaru SUV offroad manners and construction I will buy. I need 40-70HP (65-80MPH) except for 1 minute every 100 miles (I-70), creeping along a national forest road on electric would be awesome, and a few 120 outlets for power tools. 35-100 miles all electric range, 400 miles combo range with 15 minute fast charging and 400HP onramps at 4000lbs weight wins. My customization would be NRA plates and a My other car is freight train bumper sticker. Utility beats anyones “morals” when it has 4 all terrain tires.
I have used a Ryobi battery powered mower for 4 years. Previously it was all gas powered mowers for 25 years.
I am never going back to gas powered mowers again.
The battery mower is lighter, quieter, and no fumes to inhale. If battery runs out, I pop in the spare battery, in 30 seconds. No strings to pull to start, the mower starts by pushing a button. No gas to store in cans, no tune-ups, no changing spark plugs etc. The noise reduction is saving my hearing at age 83. And I can mow when sun goes down with the built-in head lights.
The EV I’m working on has a 23” wheel. We only have 1 supplier that can manufacture them. SMH at the Start Ups sometimes.
Good luck with your EV.👍
The article did not mention that an electric motor can generate 100% torque at zero RPM. That loads up the tire quickly if the driver does not go light on the go fast pedal.
But EVs are powered entirely by rainbows and unicorn farts.
Plus the power is free as it just comes out of the wall.
Sure, but that was after he made the mistake of leaving the female bodyguards behind. Fatal miscalculation.
My 2002 “sports car” had a speed limiter set at 113 mph so they could sell it with lower speed rated tires. Wound it up once on a flat stretch of desert highway and thought I may have blown it up the first time it cut out.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.